Power, Lykat, and the Dragon Triumvirate

No Truth, Only Power

One of the things we decided upon early was that we wanted to avoid there being an “ultimate truth” to find for the chakra super-powers. This has remained intact.

Instead, what we have is the concept of the same power being perceived in different ways. Three views of the same source, three ways of interacting with it.

Human. Beast. Demon.

These three forces have all utilized chakra, but each seems to do so in a different way in the Naruverse. This expands upon that idea.


That Which Cannot Be Known

This is a concept I stole from both Skyrim and Neuromancer, the idea that beings of great power can sometimes not comprehend something that is not within their nature.

Once I outline what each of the three does, it'll make more sense. But, in order for this to make sense, you must understand that Beast can not know how Humans touch the power. Demons can not know how Beasts touch it.

Humans, however, can touch the edges of the power of Demon and Beast.

This makes them uniquely powerful.


Beast: To Be Guided By Instinct

Beast refers to any animal that can utilize chakra. Most common, these are summoned beasts.

In the Naruverse, the summoned beasts have had great knowledge, wisdom, and longevity, as well as connection to powers that cannot be learned through other means (senjutsu.) So, it stands to reason that they understand power differently.

Beasts behave on instinct. They touch their power in the ways they were meant to do so. Just as animals have a function within the natural world, their presence and power also obey some larger purpose. Beasts do not have to learn their power. Only grow into it.

Their understanding of chakra is completely natural. They feel the balance of things, the flow, how the forces interact and conquer, yield, and change one another. Their touch of the power is completely innate, which allows for easy mastery, but complete adherence to their nature.

Beasts cannot expand themselves. They cannot learn anything new. They cannot change who they are.


Demons: Bending Power To Will

Demons are the opposite of Beasts. They are, by all accounts, unnatural collections of chakra that can exert tremendous amounts of power. The most powerful examples of this are the bijuu.

One common theme throughout the Naruverse is that the demon's power is far greater than Human or Beast, but it is tied into some theme. It is governed by their personality; their ego, their will.

This makes a Demon's power without limit – it can be anything, do anything, perform acts that occur neither in any known Human jutsu or appearing in any Beast's natural defenses. The only limit of a Demon's power is its own consciousness.

This allows a Demon, like a Beast, to access its power without thought or preparation. It also allows a Demon's power to /change/, if it can drop its pride long enough for the power to adapt, and for itself to adapt.

A Demon's understanding of chakra is that it is fuel to be bent to the will of the user. If it is possible to be done, then it is allowed. They pay little heed to the sense of flow and nature that the Beasts concern themselves with.


Humans: Logic, Reason, and Thought To Conquer All

As seen commonly in the Naruverse, a Human must use complex rituals and preparations in order to bend chakra. While there are several shades of complexity to these jutsu, they are all created by the organization of chakra behavior into a set of rules. The epitome of this is fuuinjutsu, which can bend chakra with written words and symbols.

The Human is the slowest to become powerful because touching chakra is not natural to them. They cannot wield it on command like Demons or Beasts – some philosphers believe that perhaps they were never meant to. But by careful study and experimentation, Humans can reproduce anything they see in a Demon or Beast, and even create new applications from their own imaginations.

Humanity is powerful because they can touch upon the understandings of both Demon and Beast, which is something the others cannot do. However, they are limited in the depth and mastery they are able to attain over those two understandings.


Sliding Scale of Demon-Beast-Human

Humans can use all three natures, and as such it is important to understand how common techniques fall on the scale.


Ninjutsu: Unnatural bending of reality to the will of the user – Human. This allows the physically impossible to happen: replication of the self, etc. This is not governed by nature or ego, so it is human.

Genjutsu: Forcible change of the mind – Demon. This is imposing the ego and will of theu ser onto the target .

Taijutsu: Understanding the natural flow of the human body – Beast. Like an animal using its body to fight, a human is the same. Even the inner gates are a natural aspect of the body.

Weapon Arts/Puppetry Using technology to control battle – Human. Only humans would think to build materials to control battle and reality.

Medical: Forcing the reverse of an injury, but also restoring something to its natural state – Beast and Human. Reverting the human body is neither natural or will-based, but undersatnding how the body naturally works makes this beast-slanted.

Chakra Control: Understanding of one's own chakra – Beast. The chakra network is naturally occuring.

Fuuinjutsu: Controling reality with written words and symbols – Human

Elemental: Forcing the elements to move – Demon and Human. The initial element of an individual is always something that is influenced by their will, which maeks it Demon. The ability to add additional elements and combine them is Human.

Bloodlines: Genetic ability to control chakra – Beast.


Dys Examples

Beast-Slanted: Kyuuen

Kyuuen's understanding of the body and of the natural world defines her combat style entirely. Firstly, her medical techniques require a natural undersatnding. Secondly, her tattoos are not only natural in design, but her ability to understand how they can move is also defined by her understanding of the natural world. Thirdly, even her Bubble element is the result of her natural limitations, unable to force her will to create the more powerful elements.

The trade off for her limitations is that she is able to perform her techniques very effortlessly, as we've seen in several battles.


Demon-Slanted: Toya

Toya's Bloodline would normally make him Beast-slanted, but his Shiki abilities are man-made. The entire purpose of the Shiki ability is to exert the will of destruction onto the targets, will them out of existence, which makes his undersatnding limited to his will power. His ability to force himself beyond his normal limits (single element) with the use of other techniques (Lykat words) shows that his willpower is stronger than his natural limitations.


Human-Slanted: Ryou

Ryou's entire combat ability lies in his undersatnding of ninjustu and fuuinjutsu. He has no natural affinity for physical combat and was only able to unlock more powerful abilities later by study and focus. Ryou's intelligence is what determines his strength. The more he studies, the more he practices, the more powerful he becomes. This results in a slow learning curve, but in greater higher power.

The Importance of the Dragon

The Dragon has important symbolic power in all three realms, Demon, Beast and Humans.

Humans

In Lykat Atah, one of the 12 gods is the Monk of Elements, who represents control over the Five Chakra elements and is represented by a cage constellation.

This was not always the case.

In the land of the ruling Lycdan, the Monk of Elements was instead the Dragon of Five.

The Dragon represented the manifestation of all Five Elements within one being.

Breath of Fire. Wings of Wind. Blood of Water. Scales and Bones of Earth. Soul of Lightning.

The Dragon was a title bestowed upon many powerful Lycdan in ancient Lykatian history, declaring themselves to be masters of advanced chakra abilities. When the Lycdan was overhtrown, the god was replaced with another, a Monk who was a mere man who could tame the Dragon.

Still, the Dragon has always represented great power.


Beasts

A Beast has a duty within the fabric of reality, through the flow of chakra. Their presence changes the natural world. The Oxen of Soratodai keep the flow of gravity in check, as well as the marching of the dead. The Sheep of Saihoushi provide life flow through reality, in both providing it and nurturing it.

The Beasts understand that Dragons are creatures of Celestial nature. Their existence is not in charge of mere things such as grass, dirt, stone, or water. Dragons influence stars, sunlight, the moon, the greatest aspects of existence. Their nature gives them longevity, insight, and wisdom.


Demons

Among the demons, the term Dragon is used as a descriptor.

A dragon demon is one with tremendous pride, ego, and will, able to force itself to become more powerful than others around it. The Bijuu are dragon demons, shifting form and power from host to host, pushing and expanding themselves beyond their previous limits.

Dragon demons are rare and revered.



The Dragon Triumvirate

In eons past, when great events have occurred in the fabric of reality, there have formed the Dragon Triumvirate. Beast, Human, and Demon all summon forth their own Dragon to discuss and deal with the problem at hand.

The choosing of the Dragon for each is different.

Beast – The Dragonbeast need not be a literal dragon, though it has often times been so. The Dragonbeast must be a Beast who understands an improtant aspect of reality, who can sense the flow and naturla progression and see the large picture of how things have always been and how they should continue to be. The Dragonbeast must bring history, wisdom, and patience to the Triumvirate.

Demon – The Dragondemon is the representative of Will, Ambition, and the desire to take action. The Dragondemon must be a demon of great power, one who has changed its nature several times through the force of will, and has gained the respect of all the great demons. The Dragondemon must bring power, decisiveness, will, and ambition to the Triumvirate.

Human – The Dragonboy (or Dragongirl) is the most difficult to find. Many times a Triumvirate cannot be made since there is no suitable Dragon of Humanity.

The Dragongirl must prove her ability to use the Beast arts. This is most often done through the mastery of an innate bloodline ability. It can also be the control of the Eight Inner Gates.

The Dragongirl must prove her ability to tape into the Souce (chakra super powers), and touch it with their will. Moxie is the first to do this in centuries.

The Dragongirl must have skill within the ninjutsu arts, mastering at least three elements and preferrably fuuinjutsu arts as well.

Many times the Dragongirl is an important political figure and understands the goings on of mankind.

If these can be met, then she is suitable to be the Dragongirl and form the Triumvirate.